Big Offshore Wind Farm Approved for New Jersey

96 turbines providing up to 346 megawatts of electricity generation will start providing juice in 2013.

Where are all of these turbines going to go? Approximately 16-20 miles offshore, where the highest wind capacity is, and pretty far out of view. How might this trend affect you? Do you care about seeing turbines offshore, even if they are 16-20 miles away? Are you willing to sacrifice your view for a clean energy future?

The map below shows wind power potential for the mid-atlantic states. The data comes from The National Renewable Energy Lab. As you can see, it looks like much of the mid-atlantic has wind resources well offshore, and Lake Erie has some promise as well.

Responses

I live in central Texas and when we travel to the Gulf coast you can see off-shore drilling rigs for miles. Which is worse, unsightly drilling platforms with rigs high above the platforms or streamlined aesthetically pleasing wind-turbines? To me it is a no brainer. What the power wind turbines will provide over the longterm far outreaches more off-shore drilling, not to mention what the drilling is doing to our water ecology. I say go for the wind turbines!